• Royal Hunting Reserve

    In 1856 Vittorio Emanuele II declares Royal Hunting Reserve the Gran Paradiso mountains, saving from extintion the Ibex, which in that years had reduced its population to alarming levels.

  • Last royal hunting

    In 1913 takes place the last royal hunting, six years later Vittorio Emanuele III decides to cede the Gran Paradiso territories of his property, with related rights, to the State indicating, as condition, to take into account the idea of establishing a National Park, for the protection of flora and alpine fauna.

  • The first italian national park comes up

     The Gran Paradiso National Park was established on the 3rd December 1922, first italian National Park "aiming at protecting fauna and flora and preserving particular geological formations, as well as the beauty of the landscape".

  • The Ibex population collapses

    Between 1933 and 1947 we are witnessing a dramatic collapse of the ibex population mainly because of the centralization of the Park management and a resulting mismatch with the territory, the use of non-local staff, poaching and the collapse of the wildlife situation.

     

  • The new born and the managing Authority

    The 5th August 1947, with the Legislative Decree of the provisional head of State Enrico De Nicola, the Gran Paradiso National Park is established. Renzo Videsott is the first Director. A long and difficult process for the protection and promotion of the protected area begins.

  • Paradisia botanic garden inauguration

    In 1955 the Paradisia botanic garden has been inaugurated in Valnontey, hamlet in the municipality of Cogne, in the heart of the Park, 1700 m of altitude, on a surface of around 10.000 m2. Today the tourist and environment education structures in the Park counts 9 visitors centres, 1 Environment Education Centre, 1 environment activities office and 2 echo-museums with more than 32.000 visitors per year (2011 data).

  • An international Park

    In 1972 the increasing synergies between Gran Paradiso and the french park de la Vanoise had made natural the partnership between the two Bodies that directed their actions towards a goal of compatible development and long-term protection.

  • Reintroducing the ibex in the Alps

    The last Ibex colony survived on the Alps constitutes the genetic reservoir of this species. Gran Paradiso has the big responsibility of managing this heritage of variability and the conservation duty to intervene with reintroductions and restocking in other areas, when useful and necessary.

  • "Walking in the clouds"

    In 2003 the sustainable mobility project "Walking in the clouds" has been inaugurated, along with the traffic regulation, it aims at relaunching the whole Nivolet area with qualitative touristic proposals.

  • Big returns

    In recent years the Park has seen an increase of fauna with the return of the wolf and the first bearded vulture nestling on the Western Alps.

  • European Diploma for Protected Area

    In 2006 the Gran Paradiso National Park has been awarded the European Diploma for protected areas, assigned by the Coucil of Europe to protected areas, natural or semi-natural, which are of european interest from the conservation of biological, geological or landscape diversity point of view, and have a consistent level of protection.

  • The Park today: between conservation and sustainable development

    The Park today registers 1,9 millions of visitors annually, can boasts a network of 850 km trails and 9 visitor centres. Next to a world-class scientific research, projects aimed at enhancing products and local businesses as the Gran Paradiso Trademark of Quality come up. 

  • The Park in the IUCN Green List

    Within the world summit of Parks, promoted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on the 14th November 2014, the Gran Paradiso National Park entered in the Green List of Protected Areas, the first global certification that recognises effectiveness and fairness in the management of the Parks.